Evaluating Websites

There are millions of documents available on the Internet. Unfortunately, not all of the information is true. Attractive, eye-catching sites are not necessarily good ones. When assessing information on the Internet consider the following:

• Accuracy• Expertise/Authority• Bias/Objectivity• Currency• Coverage

Accuracy

• Can you find the information at other site or in other media?• Do you know who wrote the material?• Can you contact the author?

Expertise/Authority

• Is the author an expert on the subject?• Do you know where they got

their information?• Are the names and the credentials of the publisher provided?

Bias/Objectivity

• Is the author providing a full picture or are trying to sell something?• Is the author trying to convince you of something by offering only selected information?

One more thought about bias…

… keep in mind that in the case of creating a debate or persuasive essay, bias is not necessarily a bad thing!

Currency • Is the material old or current?• When was the last time the site

was updated?• Is the site complete or under

construction?• Are there inactive/dead links?

Coverage

• Does the website cover the topic well?

• Are there obvious pieces of information missing?

• Does the website refer to print or other sources?

• Does the website refer to educational research or other scholarly information?

Critical Thinking is

Safe Thinking

Bibliography

• CYBERCIS Corporation. "Web Publishing - Internet Consultants." Web Publishing - Internet Consultants. • CYBERCIS Corporation, 2000. Web. 16 June 2013.• • "Evaluating Web Sites." Oksale Virtual Library. NWIC Virtual Library, n.d. Web. 16 June 2013. • <https://www.ischool.utexas.edu/~vlibrary/technology/eval.html>.• • "How to Evaluate Website Design Effectiveness?" TheWikiMag. The WikiMag, 20 Mar. 2012. Web. 16 • June 2013.• • "Incomplete Information as the New Competitive Advantage." The Science Of Strategy from Sun Tzus • The Art of War. Science of Strategy Institute, 2013. Web. 16 June 2013. • <http://scienceofstrategy.org/main/content/incomplete-information>.• • Reid, Janet. "Cold Spring School Library Skills Blog." Cold Spring School Library Skills Blog. Cold Spring • School Library, 20 Feb. 2013. Web. 16 June 2013.• • "Website Under Contruction." Website Under Contruction. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 June 2013. • <http://i- reckonsoft.com/>.